St. Paul Catholic Secondary School first opened its doors to students in 1988. When
the former Hastings and Prince Edward Roman Catholic Separate School Board was
busing over 300 students daily to our sister school in Belleville, it became clear that
Trenton and the surrounding communities both desired and would be able to support
a local Catholic secondary school. St. Paul was constructed as a fully comprehensive
secondary school which was completed in three phases; the first phase was
completed before opening that September, a second phase was completed by the
end of that school year and the final phase of the original plan was completed by
1990.

Prior to the physical building taking shape, decisions about the school and the role
that it would play in our community were already being made. An advisory committee
made up of the parish priest, students, parents, teachers, school administration,
senior administration and members of the Board of Trustees was formed. The
school colors of red, white and blue were chosen as well as the school uniform.
Most importantly, the committee with input from the community decided that it
would be fitting to name the school after St. Paul the evangelist. St. Paul is known
for his many teachings about Christianity; what we believe, how we should live and
the call to conversion in our own lives which will inevitably bless the lives of those
with whom we come into contact. St. Paul Catholic Secondary School has been renowned
since our early beginnings as the school that seeks social justice within our
own walls, as well as within the local and global communities. At St. Paul we believe
that we are all stewards of the earth, called to nourish our souls, challenge our
minds, expand our God‐given talents, and look beyond ourselves to the needs of
each other, the school, community and world. Not surprising, we have accomplished
some incredible goals on behalf of others through our involvement in numerous organizations
like Habitat for Humanity, The Canadian Cancer Society, Free the Children
and many more. It seemed fitting that the year of our 20th anniversary as a
school was also the year dedicated to our namesake, St. Paul the Apostle.

St. Paul first opened with just over 300 students in grades 9, 10 and 11. The next
year, grade 12 courses were introduced and St. Paul hosted its first ever graduation.
With the final phase of the building in place by that September, Ontario Academic
Credits were being offered and the student population had risen to approximately
500. At its peak, St. Paul was registering approximately 600 students. With the introduction
of a 4-year diploma program in 1999 and the onset of decreasing enrolment
across the province, St. Paul Catholic Secondary School enrolment has leveled
off at about 500 students again. However, after a thorough Accommodation Review
Process in Quinte West, the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board
has passed a motion that a new Catholic Campus be constructed on the St. Paul site.
Not only will a brand new JK-6 school be built on the property, but St. Paul will be
welcoming the Grade 7 and 8 students to join us in the fully refreshed St. Paul Catholic
Secondary School. In addition to a new wing being built to house our added students,
a fabulous new Arts Common will be constructed as the shared space, accessible
to both junior high and high school students.

The students in our Developmental Centre will also benefit from the renovation as a state of the art space will be constructed
to meet all of the varied needs of our Lifeskills students. The architectural feasibility study has been completed
and we are anxiously anticipating the “refresh” which is slated to be completed by September 2012.

Students attend St. Paul not only from Trenton, but also from the many smaller communities within our vicinity; Glen
Miller, Stockdale, Frankford, Bayside, Wooler, Astra, Smithfield, Brighton and Carrying Place. We have strong ties with
the Canadian Forces Base in Trenton as approximately one-third of our student population is military families who depend
on our flexibility and support during times of transfer and deployment.

Students choose St. Paul for a high quality education where Gospel Values prevail in defining our culture and our purpose.
As our latin motto states, “Unus Estis in Christo”, we are united in Christ; home, school and Church work together
to ensure that teaching, learning and playing are all guided in every aspect by the values of Jesus Christ. We
offer academic programming at all levels in order to meet the varied abilities and pathways of students on their educational
journey. As a Catholic school, we provide students with the opportunity to achieve the expectations of the varied
curricula while also challenging our students to blend their spiritual, academic and social lives by meeting the
Catholic Graduate Expectations. Our students learn in a supportive, faith-based environment where a team of caring
professionals will recognize Christ in our students and be Sacrament to them; where every individual is assisted in
reaching his/her personal goals with guidance and encouragement to be open to God’s calling in a chosen pathway.
We also offer a full range of intramurals, varsity sports teams, clubs, leadership groups, community outreach programs
and social justice initiatives through which the students can develop their talents and skills. We are proud to educate
the whole child through a community of faith, learning and relationships.